Chapter 23

"Xiu'er! Are you okay?? Duan Mu Yan! You—!" Xiao Jin Feng hastily carried Su Jin Xiu and rushed out of the main hall!

Looking at Xiao Jin Feng's back as he hastily carried Su Jin Xiu out of the hall, Duan Mu Yan couldn't help but puckered her lips. She initially believed that the Imperial Palace was the only place where deceiving was nothing but common. That in order for you to survive, you had to go all out without a care.

She didn't expect that it would be the same here! When she returned to her original spot, Duan Mu Yan struggled to kneel back on the ground. She was too fatigued to think about Su Jin Xiu's motives, and too helpless to care about Xiao Jin Feng's assumptions.

All the way until the evening, Duan Mu Yan was still kneeling in the main hall! There was the sound of hurried footsteps as Xiao Yuxuan suddenly appeared in front of Duan Mu Yan!

"Mu Yan... I'm sorry I'm late! Get up! I'll take you back to the palace…" Early in the morning, Xiao Yin dragged Xiao Yuxuan into the study room. Before Xiao Yuxuan could say anything, his father had pressed his acupoints and locked him in the room. Only until now, Xiao Yuxuan had broken through his acupoints and ran over!

"No… I can't go back to the palace without their permission... YuXuan, you don't need to worry about me anymore. Everyone in the Manor will gossip once they see us. Go back and rest…" Right now, she was Xiao Jin Feng's secondary wife and Xiao Yuxuan's eldest sister-in-law. Even if she didn't care about her reputation, she still cared about the prestige of the imperial family, the Xiao family's reputation, as well as Yuxuan's reputation!

"Mu Yan! Don't you want to go to the palace and send off Consort Li on her final journey?! You'll regret it... Mu Yan, let's just go to the palace first! Then leave the capital! You have no happiness here at all, they are all unreasonable!" Xiao Yuxuan said angrily! Seeing Duan Mu Yan being bullied, he could not tolerate it any longer.

"Yuxuan … I had already told you many times, I won't leave with you! Not now, not in the future! Please, go back now!" Duan Mu Yan tried her best to not let her tears flow. She didn't want Xiao Yu Xuan to see the pain in her heart!

"Mu Yan…"

"Call me Royal sister-in-law…" Her cold voice didn't have the slightest warmth, and Duan Mu Yan knew that if he continued to care about her, she would only cause Xiao YuXuan to sink even deeper into her depression! She had already chosen this path, there was no way she could turn back!

Xiao Yuxuan's brows tightly knitted together. His heart felt as though it had been cut by a knife as he looked at the unswerving determination in the depths of Duan Mu Yan's eyes!

"Royal Sister-in-law… Even if you don't go back to the palace, at least you should go back to your room to rest... I asked Steward Zhou and he said you haven't eaten all day..."

"No need to trouble yourself Prince Ping. As the secondary wife, guarding the spirit of the main wife is a form of etiquette and also respect! If the Prince Ping has nothing else to say, please go back!" Duan Mu Yan lowered her head and forced herself not to raise her eyes and not to look at Xiao Yuxuan. If she shattered, then so be it. She was already a person without a future!

However, Xiao Yuxuan was different. He was young and capable, and he had managed to ascend to the pinnacle of princedom in his own ability and talent! He was worthy of being loved by a better woman. His future was bright! If Kingdom looked down on him because of her, how would she be able to live with it!

Xiao Yuxuan wanted to say something, but when he saw Duan Mu Yan's indifferent expression, he finally stopped himself. "If you are tired, return to your room…" After saying this, Xiao Yuxuan turned around and left.

When the cold wind blew, it made a whistling sound. The white silk hanging fluttered faintly in the air.

Due to the cold, Duan Mu Yan's body trembled from time to time. Her ice-like jade-like hands were tightly pressed against her numb legs. Gradually, her mind started to wander!

At this moment, steaming hot dishes suddenly appeared in front of her. "I told you not to worry about me! This will ruin—" When she raised her gaze, Duan Mu Yan was stunned. Under a white pair of brows, a pair of benevolent eyes was staring straight at her!

"Father…" Duan Mu Yan didn't expect it to be Xiao Yin and couldn't help but lower her eyes in apology!

"Mu Yan… Father knows Jin Feng is making things difficult for you! Shi Rou is a good daughter-in-law, but it's a pity that she had a short life and couldn't spend a longer time with Jin Feng. Her death was a great blow to him, and it so happened that it was at the time of your marriage, which made him somewhat resistant. For the sake of this old man, forgive him, and don't put it in your heart. After a while, when his mood calmed down, he would naturally be able to accommodate you. Father knows this is unfair to you but please forgive me that this happened to you…" Xiao Yin pursed his lips as guilt flashed past his eyes.

He knew that the pain in Duan Mu Yan's heart right now was too great due to her mother's death. If it were the Eldest Princess or the Second Princess, even if they wouldn't ask it, the Emperor would have ordered them to be brought back to the Imperial Palace to bid farewell to their mother.

However, she was the Third Princess and the daughter of Consort Li.

Xiao Yin knew of the story about the matter between the Emperor and Consort Li. Because at that time, when the Empress Dowager was still alive, she had mentioned him that the person she had asked to secretly investigate Qin Yu Die's background was one of her emissaries, Wei Liang.

Back then, Wei Liang was on a patrol, passing through Jiangnan, Qin Yu Die's hometown. So the Empress Dowager had sent him a secret letter, asking him to secretly investigate that woman's background. When Wei Liang returned to the palace, he was summoned by the Empress Dowager immediately. After the visit, Wei Liang was dismissed from the palace and was ordered not to come back. Since then he was never seen again.

Xiao Yin knew that the Empress Dowager's order of dismissal was for Wei Liang's sake. Because with the Emperor's infatuation for Qin Yu Die, it was very possible that he would do something irrational if he knew who tattletale about Qin Yu Die's identity!

But because of this, the Emperor had no one to blame on to of the rumours about Qin Yu Die but the Consort Li who happened to had frequently visited the Empress Dowager at that time. And so for almost twenty years, Consort Li had been treated with contempt by the Emperor. Eventually implicating both the First Prince and the Third Princess!

There were several times when Xiao Yin wanted to tell the truth to the Emperor! However, how could he proved his words when the Empress Dowager had already passed away, and Wei Liang was nowhere to be found. Even if he was willing to say it, the Emperor might not believe it!

Beside, it was forbidden for any officials to interact with imperial wives in the palace. If he were to speak up for her, the consequences would be great.

"Father's words are not necessary… Mu Yan understood the feelings of Prince Qi… No matter what he say or do, Mu Yan would not take it to heart… Please be at ease, Royal Father…" Duan Mu Yan never thought that Xiao Yin would be so considerate as to say these words to her.

Xiao Yin slightly nodded as his eyes flashed with a hint of relief.

"Just now… I heard your conversation with Yuxuan. Father thank you for your understanding. That kid, YuXuan, isn't sensible. Fortunately you are different from him, otherwise… The entire Xiao Manor would be unable to escape this calamity… <Sigh> You're a responsible person. Royal Father also believes that you will definitely be a good wife to our Xiao family! We made you suffer so much, Royal Father apologizes… " Xiao Yin said from the bottom of his heart.

Looking at Duan Mu Yan's trembling body, he could not help but push the food to her. "You haven't eaten for the whole day! Eat first, don't kneel anymore. Be careful of yourself!"

"Thank you, Royal Father…" Her gentle voice seemed to be choked with sobs as Duan Mu Yan extended her jade-like hand to pick up the bowl of rice in front of her. This was Xiao Yin's kind intentions, Duan Mu Yan could feel Xiao Yin's care for her, like a father who cared for his daughter.

"The time is already late, Royal Father should return to his room to rest... It's enough as long as Mu Yan is here… " Duan Mu Yan slightly raised her eyes to look at Xiao Yin.

"Un, I believe Xin Feng will be here soon as well so don't hold on. Remember to go back and rest." Xiao Yin's footsteps gradually grew further and further away.

Duan Mu Yan's tears fell as she looked at the food in her hands. After mother left and her father ignored her existence, Xiao Yin treated her like a father. Duan Mu Yan was already satisfied!

But this night was destined to not be spent peacefully.

Just as Duan Mu Yan was about to eat, Xiao YuXuan walked into the main hall with a blanket in his hand. "I knew you wouldn't leave! Since you are unwilling to listen to me, then put this on. If you got sick from the cold, the spirit of your mother in the heavens will not be at ease!" Xiao Yuxuan approached Duan Mu Yan and saw the dish in her hand.

Just as she was about to speak, an ice-cold voice rang out from the entrance! "You two are too presumptuous! This was ShiRou's mourning hall! This is not a place for you to make up with!" Xiao Jin Feng's cold eyes cracked as he angrily stared at them!

"Big brother! What did you say?! Mu Yan had knelt here for the entire day and night! It's fine if you don't care about her, but you actually insults her like this?! I am just giving her a blanket! " Xiao Yuxuan stood in front of Duan Mu Yan, his eyebrows raised!

"Stop arguing! This is a mourning hall... Prince Qi, Yu— Prince Ping only wanted to give me a blanket, there's no other reason…" Afraid that they would start a fight, Duan Mu Yan hurriedly put down her bowl and about to stood up, but before she could, she slammed down onto the ground. Her legs was too numb from the long time of kneeling and cold floor.

It was a good thing that Xiao Yuxuan's eyes were sharp as she quickly helped stabilize Duan Mu Yan! "Are you alright?!" Duan Mu Yan shook her head as her jade-like arm subconsciously pulled away from Xiao YuXuan.

She raised her gaze to meet Xiao Jin Feng's cold, disdainful gaze! "No wonder you haven't eaten all day! So it was to act pitiful and pathetic! If you want to seduce a man, I'll have to trouble you to find another place. This is ShiRou's mourning hall! I can't allow you to tarnish it!" Xiao Jin Feng's words were like a sharp blade that pierced Duan Mu Yan's heart.

The hostility of the man in front of her was much deeper than she had first thought! "Prince Qi… This meal was gifted by the Royal Father… Yuxuan and I were cautious in our words, we had nothing to do with each other! Now that you're here... I'll head back to my room first…" The explanation was an attempt to deviate the attention from Xiao Yuxuan.

If it wasn't for Xiao Yuxuan getting involved, Duan Mu Yan didn't want to explain too much! Seeing that Duan Mu Yan was about to leave, Xiao Jin Feng harrumphed coldly.

"Hmph! Who are you for Father to send food to? Since you don't have any sincerity, why bother pretending to be good? ShiRou doesn't want you to come to the funeral tomorrow! I believe she hates to see you too!" Xiao Lingfeng coldly snorted!

"Xiao Jin Feng!… Don't go too far! You should be clear about Duan Mu Yan's identity! She was the third princess of the Mo Dynasty! How can you insult her like that!" The normally gentle Xiao Yuxuan's sword-like eyebrows slanted upwards as he clenched his fists tightly and prepared to smash them towards Xiao Jin Feng.

"Ha! Princess?! In the entire capital, who didn't know that she, Duan Mu Yan, was a princess in name only? He couldn't even be compared to a servant! But it's none of my business! I hate her just the same! It was because of her that Shirou died!... Duan Mu Yan, I don't want to see your face! Scram!" Xiao Jin Feng cursed at Duan Mu Yan like a madman. His scarlet eyes were sinister and terrifying, as though he was about to spit out blood!

"You are too much!" Xiao Yuxuan could no longer tolerate such insults for Duan Mu Yan. He rushed forward and viciously struck out at Xiao Jin Feng! Duan Mu Yan bit her lips as she looked up with her misty eyes to see Xiao YuXuan's fist.

Without any hesitation, Duan Mu Yan dashed in front of Xiao Jin Feng to block Xiao Yuxuan's palm strike… Duan Mu Yan instantly felt her body churning and her mouth tasting metallic. "Pu" A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed out! Dark red blood splattered onto marble floor, like a bunch of manna pearls in full bloom!

"Mu Yan…" Xiao Yuxuan snapped out of his daze and hurriedly pulled Duan Mu Yan into his embrace! "I... I'm fine... Please... Stop arguing... I'll go back... Dont come out... Don't worry…" Duan Mu Yan struggled to break free from Xiao YuXuan's embrace.

Her gaze landed on Xiao Jin Feng's tyrannical handsome appearance. With a slight nod of her head, she staggered out of the main hall!